This is a fascinating data problem. I noticed a lot of the price distributions are non-normally distributed (specifically with a strong positive skew for the least consistently priced procedures). You guys should have fun with this.
Who will be the primary users of this information? It seems that insurers already are aware of chargemaster prices and ignore them since they're going to be bargained away.
Employers seem not to care to dig into how much their insurers are paying (employers just care what premium they'll have to pay).
Finally, it seems like consumers can't really use this data since they're pretty much locked into their plans anyways and will go wherever is most convenient.
Now given changing consumer behavior, I could see consumers maybe using this so they have to pay less of a deductible, I could also see insurers working with consumers to steer them to the best prices - saving both the insurer and the consumer money. However, this will require overcoming consumer attachments to preferred providers (a challenge for older adults, not so much so for younger ones who often don't have a relationship with a doctor). It can be how surprising how quickly people can overcome sentimental attachments when their money is on the line though, so who knows.
Who will be the primary users of this information? It seems that insurers already are aware of chargemaster prices and ignore them since they're going to be bargained away.
Employers seem not to care to dig into how much their insurers are paying (employers just care what premium they'll have to pay).
Finally, it seems like consumers can't really use this data since they're pretty much locked into their plans anyways and will go wherever is most convenient.
Now given changing consumer behavior, I could see consumers maybe using this so they have to pay less of a deductible, I could also see insurers working with consumers to steer them to the best prices - saving both the insurer and the consumer money. However, this will require overcoming consumer attachments to preferred providers (a challenge for older adults, not so much so for younger ones who often don't have a relationship with a doctor). It can be how surprising how quickly people can overcome sentimental attachments when their money is on the line though, so who knows.